Through their eyes
by Paul Teevan
Summary: Based on the writing prompt from this weeks writing excuses. What is it like for the heroes of Fantasy Defense to be on the front-line, right before they are defeated? How do they see their endless battle, and what do they make of the summoner who calls them to arms?


"Are the troops ready?" The Bow Master asked her companion. Champion had asked about her name and past, but she had refused to tell her either, saying they were no longer important. They were now two pieces who could be summoned from the celestia realm to protect people, and their was nothing more than that. No one else cared about their names or identity, only what they could, so why should the heroes worry about that? Champion wondered if The Bow Master was ashamed of her past, but he had to admit she had a point. They would be summoned to and through whenever they were needed, only for what they could do. Who they were in life and anything outside the battlefield was irrelevant.

The champion took a glance at all the mages, archers and warriors. They held their weapons and watched the gate, ready and waiting. His troops trusted him, ready to carry out their orders without question. Champion reflected on the formation the summoner had placed them. The ice mages would immediately assail their foes with slowing magic, making them easy prey for the offensive mages and the champion himself. Before they could entirely escape, the brandishers would strike with their flails, battering and entangling the beasts, and if they escaped they would be caught in another round of magic, and the Bow Master's arrows.

The troops placed past the crossroads were a little more sparse, designed to pick off any enemy who survived the death course. The champion hoped their would not be too many for the remaining forces to handle. Shouldn't the summoner bolster those tropes rather than focus all his fire power solely on the front line? He did not think the front line could handle every monster that came their way, already several had eluded them, and with an increase in the secondary troops numbers or better equipment, wouldn't they be able to better function? He hoped the summoner knew what he was doing. Many lives depended on it.

Far across the other side of the battle field was the Friend Gate. If it was destroyed, Champion and the Bow Master would be unsummoned, and worst still the town behind it would be vulnerable to siege. It had already taken damage from earlier attacks, monsters that were too fast, numerous or tough for his troops to handle, though he wondered how much might have been prevented if the Summoner had been quicker mobilizing the troops.

There was no time for more of such thoughts, the enemy was coming through the gates. The skeletal hounds howled as they charged. They had no fear, if they could think at all, they would only be thinking of that gate.

As he expected, the mages nearby fired their spells, chilling forst, blazing fire and scorching lighting assailed the monsters. They were blackened from the blast, but still continued their march, the beasts unnaturally tough. More spells came down upon them, and now they were in reach of the champions heavy blade, the Bowmaster's arrows, and the Brandishers mighty flails. The weapons were brought down on the monsters, the Champion slicing through many a foe, and the Bowmaster keenly picking off any that eluded or survived his strikes, raining down her arrows with an impressive combination of speed and precision. Together they were able to destroy several of the feel beasts, but half a dozen more escaped their grasp, their speed increasing as ran from the champion's carefully positioned line, even splitting into two separate groups as they charged down the crossroads.

The Bowmaster continued firing her arrows, still maintaining her impressive speed, though her face was fraught with worry, as her arrows sunk into the creatures, seemingly without effect..

It was up to the back up troops now, though he worried that their were too few of them, and their foes were too great. They still fought valiantly, the archers firing their arrows, though lacking The Bow Master's supernatural skill. The mages and swordsman did their best, but the hounds withstood their blows, their eyes focused only on the gate that they drew closer and closer to by the second.

Champions eyes widened. If they were not stopped, countless people would be slaughtered. Maybe the guards would be able to hold them back, but if his own troops were not enough did not hold much hope. He had one last ace up his sleeve, though he was not sure it would be enough. He held his sword over his head, and channeled all his energy through it.

"DANCING BLADE!" He yelled.

Metal rained from the sky, striking the hounds. One was cut in half, but the others continued their advance. He felt his muscles ache

"Bow Master... please."

"I can't. I used my special ability against the last group of monsters, I'm not ready to do it again."

He knew only too well. Their special abilities were very potent, capable of destroying an entire horde of monsters at once, but used large reserves of their spiritual energy, as well as their summoner's, and after using it once they had to wait before they could do it again.

But now their was nothing to stop the monsters charge. The last of his soldiers were still trying to land in as many desperate blows as they could, but it was all in vain.

The creatures reached the portal, clawing at it as they went past. The portal shook violently, the last of its magics attempting to destroy the monsters, but instead the portal exploded in a firey burst.

Champion dropped to his knees. He could see his arms fading.

"We lost..."

The Bow Master's body was fading to. She seemed less saddened than the Champion, but he couldn't be sure what she was thinking.

"We gave it all we could." The Bow Master said calmly. "Nothing more could be expected of us."

"We failed to protect the people..."

"No, niether your sword arm nor my bow could be faulted. The fault lies with our summoner." She clenched her teeth as she started to disapear.

"Could you tell me your name? Mine is-"

"I told you, our names aren't important. Our only purpose is to protect the people."

Champion hung his head.

"I hope our summoner fares better next time."

"I hope so to." The champion said, as they both finally faded away.

On the other side of the portal, two of the monsters had reached town. The townsfolk yelled in fear at the sight of the monstrous hounds and tried to run, but the beasts easily chased them down and savaged them, beginning their terrifying rampage. Who would save them? Who would defend them now?


End file.
